Knee Snaps, Crackles, and Pops - When to See a Doctor?
Knee crepitus or knee noise in the form of snapping, crackling, clicking, or popping is commonplace. Sometimes, it is caused by the benign catching of soft tissues. In other cases, the sounds may indicate more serious damage to the bearing surface of the joint: the articular cartilage.
While most knee noise should not be cause for alarm, here's our advice as to what snaps and pops are safe and what sounds indicate that you should get yourself to an orthopaedist for a closer look at your injury.
Recommended Reading
- Articular Cartilage Repair…What Is It? by Kevin R. Stone, MD
- Knee Swelling Q & A by Kevin R. Stone, MD
- What's Happening When Your Knee Goes Snap, Crackle, and Pop (written article) by Kevin R. Stone, MD
Still want to learn more about your injury? Use our Knee Self Diagnosis Symptom Checker to find out more about your injury. Enter your symptoms here to find out possible conditions/diagnoses.
